Chair
1750-1775 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This chair is in the once highly-fashionable Chinoiserie style, and might have been used for dining. It was probably one of a set.
Design & Designing
The overall form of the chair relates to designs from Thomas Chippendale's The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director (1754). The designs in this influential book were imitated and adapted by many chair-makers. In particular, the term 'Chippendale' is often used to describe chairs such as this one, with upswept shoulders, whether or not they were made in the firm's workshop. The decorative details, on the other hand, are not like Chippendale's designs. Many of the details, such as the small hanging bells, were thought of as Chinese, but were not actually used in China at this date.
Ownership & Use
This chair was later owned by the antiques collector Claude D. Rotch, and was bequeathed by him as part of his large collection in 1962.
This chair is in the once highly-fashionable Chinoiserie style, and might have been used for dining. It was probably one of a set.
Design & Designing
The overall form of the chair relates to designs from Thomas Chippendale's The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director (1754). The designs in this influential book were imitated and adapted by many chair-makers. In particular, the term 'Chippendale' is often used to describe chairs such as this one, with upswept shoulders, whether or not they were made in the firm's workshop. The decorative details, on the other hand, are not like Chippendale's designs. Many of the details, such as the small hanging bells, were thought of as Chinese, but were not actually used in China at this date.
Ownership & Use
This chair was later owned by the antiques collector Claude D. Rotch, and was bequeathed by him as part of his large collection in 1962.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Carved mahogany; modern upholstery |
| Brief description | Carved mahogany chair with splat carved in Chinese taste, with upholstered seat. |
| Physical description | Carved mahogany chair with upholstered seat. The chair is carved with decoration in the Chinese taste with a fretted splat and 'pagoda legs'. The uprights are splayed outwards and join an upward curving top rail which is surmounted by a carving shaped like a pagoda roof. The top rail ends in small pagoda caps. The uprights and the seat rails have fretted ornament in relief; the top rail has some rococo detailing. The front legs consist of clusters of three banded columns braced by C scroll brackets to the seat. The back legs have their square section cut away so that the central element is circular and banded at its centre. The back legs splay outwards. The legs are carved to suggest bamboo. The seat is upholstered and covered in modern green silk with a single row of brass nails. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Gallery label |
|
| Credit line | Bequeathed by C. D. Rotch |
| Object history | Gifted as part of the Claude Rotch Bequest. |
| Summary | Object Type This chair is in the once highly-fashionable Chinoiserie style, and might have been used for dining. It was probably one of a set. Design & Designing The overall form of the chair relates to designs from Thomas Chippendale's The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director (1754). The designs in this influential book were imitated and adapted by many chair-makers. In particular, the term 'Chippendale' is often used to describe chairs such as this one, with upswept shoulders, whether or not they were made in the firm's workshop. The decorative details, on the other hand, are not like Chippendale's designs. Many of the details, such as the small hanging bells, were thought of as Chinese, but were not actually used in China at this date. Ownership & Use This chair was later owned by the antiques collector Claude D. Rotch, and was bequeathed by him as part of his large collection in 1962. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.71-1962 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | January 26, 2001 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
